Bought this gearbox a few years ago to put in our khanacross racecar had never seen one like this before. Probably paid to much for it. It is a 56A. Does anyone know what it might have come out in.

Hmmmm, 56A gearbox to fit an A series Datsun engine.
That would have been standard issue on all right drive small Datsun models with the A12 engine from 1974 till the end of 'Sunny' production in 1981 or '82 [or whenever]

The same gearbox case was used for 3 speed, 4 speed & 5 speed models, but this one looks to be the most common 4 speed version.

This is rare.

It's the second 'smoothcase' 56-series posted here. But maybe someone just carefully ground off the normal ribs. This one has the top rib as normal.

What are the numbers on the top of the bell where it bolts to the engine?

hey ive got a 4 speed one of those !

Post up your pics.

This one has a different casting, it's not just that the ribs are missing. The casting has those 3 notches there and the large round part on the top rib. The bell is thinner too. Looks nothing like any picture I have seen before.

Sandwich plate is different too.

want to sell it?

smooth case 56, I've never seen one...

DD no ribs have been ground off the box and there was a picture of this box on a few months back when I had it for sale. Looking from the rear of the box, LHS number is 11207. RHS 0154. Levey, the gearbox will be for sale soon, having a massive cleanout in late March, 3 sedans and 2 utes and a ton of parts. will put some pictures up in a few weeks.

Looking at the 'bump' in the tailhousing where reverse gear sits, this appears to be an early box. Also the lower bolt holes in the bellhousing look very small (6mm?) as per the early boxes. What size is the hole where the clutch cable passes through? I've got a stck of various old A series boxes - never seen one like this though. Could it be for an A10? (haven't seen one of those to my knowledge)

I'm going to throw my 2 cents (sorry 5 cents now) in & say it could be an early 4 speed box from a 1000 coupe. My friend had one years ago & it was definitely a 4 speed shifted through the top of the transmission tunnel. It'd make sense that as the capacity/torque of the engines increased from 1 litre up to 1.2 & beyond, they'd put strengthening ribs on the casting to stop the case twisting. The hole the clutch cable goes through is definitely the earlier 1200 size, not the later 120Y/Sunny size.